WHO, Spain race to contain deadly strain in Tenerife

The outbreak likely originated from contaminated rodent waste during a shore excursion in Argentina, with the ship en route to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands for inspection.

According to the latest WHO update, Hantavirus infections are associated with a mortality rate of <1-15% in Asia and Europe and up to 50% in the Americas.

In 2025, in the Region of the Americas, eight countries reported 229 cases and 59 deaths with a CFR of 25.7%. In the European Region, 1,885 hantavirus infections were reported in 2023 (0.4 per 100,000), marking the lowest rate observed between 2019 and 2023.

In East Asia, particularly China and the Republic of Korea, hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) continues to account for thousands of cases annually, although the incidence has declined in recent decades.

Human Hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces.